


Not a fairy tale

by lonerfangirl



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: @ me if you want them, Angst, But technically is a stand alone fic, F/M, THIS!!!IS!!!SAD!!!, There’s a continuation chapter, and a happier ending chapter, one a direct cotinuation, one happier, so yeet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-24 17:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14360169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonerfangirl/pseuds/lonerfangirl
Summary: The happier ending will be posted tomorrow and then Thursday will be the “what if ra’s wasn’t a cockblock”Don’t forget kiddos my tumblr is @failed-potato send some requests if you want





	1. Chapter 1

“Bruce move!” Screamed a voice from behind him. He turned just in time to hear a deafening bang before she fell into his arms, a bullet stuck in her back.

“Selina! Oh my God, Selina look at me. Stay looking at me!” His heart was racing so hard he could feel it in his throat. He felt like he was going to throw up. His throat closed up and his vision blurred as he matched her quickening pulse. He only looked up from her eyes when he heard a second bang. Looking up, he saw Alfred pointing a gun at a now still figure on the cold stone floor.

“Alfred! Alfred help! Please! She-Selena-“ His shrill cries couldn’t be heard over the rain and his own grief and anger stopped his voice from working. He looked down at her again and pulled her tighter into his lap, shielding her from the downpour with his own body. He looked into her eyes and no longer saw the teasing sparkle they held just for him, no longer the affection or the laughter or the love.

 _Love_.

They were in love. At only thirteen, they had found each other and now, five years later here they were: collapsed in the street in the rain, barely holding onto their lives. Her more than him.

“I’m... I’m going to call Alfred. He can help us ok?”

She grabbed his hand and whispered a pitiful “Yeah” with a soft smile.

“Ok. I’m calling him now.” He waited, listening to the rings of Alfred’s own cellphone. Seven rounds later, he picked up.

“Master Bruce where are you? Are you ok? I fired at a man with a gun and I can’t find-“

“It’s Selina.” His voice came out ragged and thick with tears. “She got shot but I’m with her. Just..” He took a second to compose himself as he gasped and continued speaking. “Just hurry please. We need you. We’re around two hundred yards behind the criminal you shot. Hurry.” He finished and threw his cellphone down next to them, wiping his face with his free hand, which was quickly then wrapped around behind her, pulling her closer.

“Your tears were kinda keeping me warm there.” She snickered, which was quickly followed by a hiss of pain.

Even now, when life was bleeding out of her, she managed to pull a humourless chuckle out of him. He looked down at her and watched her chest heave and felt her hand tighten around his own.

“Why did you do that? Why did you do that Selina?” His tears were falling again and his chest physically hurt at the reality of what they were facing.

“Someone’s gotta save this crappy city. Figured it should be you.”

He gasped again, his emotions controlling his movements. He could do nothing but hold her close and shiver as he waited for Alfred. _Please hurry_.

“Selina, please do not leave me. Please.” His voice was frantic and begging. “You mean too much to me. Please.”

Her own eyes were wet now, the edges filling with salty tears as she felt his hand tighten on her own. Her other was grasped onto his suit, gripping onto the leather. “Tell me then.” She whispered. “Say it Bruce.”

Her voice came out a whimper. She felt her warm blood turn cold as it pressed against her back.

Bruce removed his hands from their positions and cupped her face, only to be met with a yelp of pain from Selena at the movement.

“I’m sorry! Selina I’m sorry I just-“

“Tell me!” She violently whispered, her own hands on his neck and in his soaked black hair.

“I love you.” There was no hesitation. “I’ve loved you for as long as I’ve known you. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re beautiful and I know that even when you don’t believe it, you are a good person. The best friend I’ve ever had, the best kind of girlfriend but most importantly the best person I know. I love you more than I love anyone else in the world. Please don’t leave me.” His final sentence was broken with his own tears racking his body with violent jerks as he held her face mere centimetres from hers.

She smiled widely as she cried. “I love you so much. You’ve always been there for me. Even when I treated you like shit for no reason. You’re kind and good and a hero. You’re too good for Gotham and too good for me and you still love us. You love me.” She laughed, “You love me and that’s more than anyone deserves in this city.”

Their breaths mingled as they laughed and sobbed. She pulled him close and connected their lips as they kissed in the rain. It wasn’t their best kiss, it was sloppy, and desperate and draining. But it was enough to solidify their promise to each other. They broke apart after a few seconds, panting from the effort as she stroked his cheek. Her wild curly hair had stuck to her face and neck, her skin was pale without the flow of blood and her face was bruised where she had spent hours fighting alongside him. She wasn’t invincible.

Their kiss wasn’t magic. This wasn’t a fairytale where she would suddenly jump up and they would start a new life together. Gotham wasn’t the place for such unrealistic fantasies, he had learned that a long time ago.

The sound of footsteps running and his name being called yanked his eyes away from her own as his grip on her tightened. He looked up to see Alfred running towards him.

“Master Bruce!” He approached the beaten couple on the floor and crouched down to them.

“You’re alright now, son.” Let me look at her.”

But Bruce had gone quiet.

No words had left his mouth since he heard his name be called. All the only sound that could be heard from him were quiet sobs as he rocked her body.

Alfred took one look at her and could tell she was dead.

He was too late.

“Oh, Bruce my boy.” His own voice came out in a hushed whisper. They had rarely agreed but Bruce had always been happier around her. When she came to the Manor as a surprise on his birthday he had instantly lit up. Now she was gone and it was like the sky wept for her. “Bruce I’m so sorry.”

His quiet sobs had turned into gut-wrenching cries as Alfred put an arm around his shoulders. He wept and screamed and cried against his guardian, his only friend left in the world, the girl he loved dead in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Her funeral was quick and painful. There was nothing beautiful about it. Five people attended, which is four more than Bruce felt necessary. He knew the only person she ever cared about was him, ego and all. Yet here were Gordon, Tabitha, Barbara and Alfred, with dry eyes and cloaked in black.

 

When the time came, he rose from his seat at the front and gave his speech. He took a shaky breath and began speaking, his voice echoing off the walls of the hollow church.

 

“We’re here today to celebrate Selina. As I’m sure we all know there’s nobody quite as loyal as her. As long as she was on your side, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you. Unfortunately I learned this lesson a little bit too late and I couldn’t appreciate what she was doing for me until she was dead. She died protecting me, thus trying to ensure Gotham was a safer place.” He stopped to wipe his eyes before the tears fell again and continued. “She deserves more than us, more than she was given and yet she was the most determined person I know. She never stopped fighting and neither will I. Her killer has been stopped and I vow not to stop until the criminals of Gotham are stopped.” This earned a raised eyebrow from Barbara and a sneer from Tabitha, which Bruce noticed and looked at them. “My loyalties lie with people in the grave. Their deaths were caused by criminals. I shall protect the city with all I’ve got. From everyone.”

 

His voice had become icy and sharp as he walked down the alter, where her coffin was. Bruce had paid for everything, wanting her final resting place to be extravagant but elegant. A sleek black coffin was lined with ivory satin and embellished with silver handles, locks and a plaque. He thought it matched her: beautiful and stylish.

 

He rested his hand on the lid of the coffin and walked all the way down the church out the door. He had nothing left to say to her, or anyone for that matter. He got in his car and drove to the cemetery where he waited a little over half an hour before he recognised the hearse cruise through, pulling up at the fresh hole in the ground.

 

He got out and stood closest to the headstone, next to Alfred. He watched her be lowered into the earth and threw the first piece of dirt on her. He then watched everyone in succession throw a handful onto the coffin. He blinked heavily, but not before a single tear fell into her grave, moistening a single drop of the dry dirt that was filling the hole.

 

He quickly turned to Alfred and whispered to him. “I’m going home. You’re welcome to join me in the car if you wish. If not, I’ll see you there.” He started immediately walking to the car, feeling his heartbeat in his ears. He didn’t realise Alfred had followed him until the passenger door opened next to him.

 

“Home then, Master Bruce?”

 

He simply nodded and began the short drive to the Manor.

 

*****

 

Bruce hadn’t spoken in days. Four whole days. Not even a “Thank you Alfred,” which was unusual for the boy. He had been brought up by respectful and humble parents, and yet here he was not saying a word of thanks. Alfred had thought best to leave him to it, after all he was grieving.

 

“Sir, I’m just popping out for twenty minutes. We seem to have run out of eggs and milk. Can’t have the basic household food gone now can we?” He chuckled softly and looked up at his young master at his desk. He simply looked up and nodded twice before returning to his work.

 

True to his word, Alfred was back with two dozen eggs and milk in hand in just under twenty minutes. He put them away before walking into the study expecting to find Bruce, but finding it deserted. He did a quick scan of the room and noticed the book he was flicking through was still on the desk. Allowing his curiosity (and his concern for the boy) to overthrow his respect for his master’s privacy, he flicked through it to find someone’s handwriting scribbling details of hideouts and locations. Clearly not belonging to Bruce, the only other option he could think of was Selina. The handwriting was sloppily written, like he knew hers was. He sighed as he quickly guessed what Bruce had been doing before sitting down in the desk chair and beginning to read.

 

*****

 

Bruce arrived only ten minutes later, wearing the same clothes as he was when Alfred had left. If he hadn’t known he had gone out, he would be unable to tell.

 

“Cold outside, master Bruce?” He asked, leaving no subtly as to what battered old book he was holding.

 

Bruce’s eyes quickly flashed and he quickly snatched the book out of his hand. “Do not touch my things, Alfred. Not now, not ever.” He snarled, wiping the book with his sleeve.

 

“Master Bruce where have you been going?” He asked calmly.

 

“Doesn’t matter.” He huffed, pushing past his guardian with his shoulder. He stormed into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

 

“Do you think Miss Kyle would want you to be putting yourself at risk every chance you get? You are going out, unharmed with nothing but a book to try and dismantle the criminal underworld of Gotham? You’ll be dead before you succeed such a task alone-“

 

“Shut up!” His worried ramblings were quickly cut off by Bruce’s scream. He was breathing heavily, hand clutching the shaking glass.

 

“Bruce.” Alfred whispered softly, walking cautiously towards him with a hand reaching for his arm. “Calm down. Think about it. Think about what she would have wanted-“

 

“It doesn’t matter what she wanted! She’s dead! She’s not coming back! All she had at her hideout were clothes and this stupid book and she had nobody! She didn’t even have me and she loved me more than anyone else and I just pushed her away! I pushed her away when we needed each other and now all I have is this stupid book! There’s nothing I can do for her so all I can do it fight! I’m going to find everyone who ever hurt her or anyone who ever committed a crime on the streets of our city and I’m going to make them pay!” Tears were falling freely from his face now, but that didn’t stop his yelling. “I’m trying to do something good and all everyone’s trying to do is stop me! Well you know what? Get out you’re fired!”

 

At this, Alfred stepped forward and wrapped Bruce in his arms, holding him tight. Bruce sobbed and cried into his shoulder as he grieved for her all over again. His world had stopped; there was only him and his anger and his heartbreak and his sorrow.

 

He quickly pulled away and wiped his eyes as he walked to the couch in the living room. He sat and crossed his legs before pulling a thick blanket over himself. Alfred sat next to him, sighing heavily before speaking.

 

“You can’t bring her back, Bruce.”

 

“I know.” His throat was thick with the effort of trying not to cry again, his voice came out like a whisper. “I just miss her.”

 

Alfred wrapped an arm around the back of his head and grabbed the remote from the coffee table, flicking on cartoons.

 

Bruce looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

 

“Figures we could watch something with a happy ending. I’ll order a pizza.”

 

That night, Bruce didn’t sneak out. He fell asleep on the couch, TV still on and pizza cold. He felt more at peace than he had in a week. She was still here, he felt it. She would always be with him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The happier ending will be posted tomorrow and then Thursday will be the “what if ra’s wasn’t a cockblock”
> 
> Don’t forget kiddos my tumblr is @failed-potato send some requests if you want

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not a very good writer but yeet send me baby batcat requests @ my tumblr @failed-potato (don’t ask I was 12 and I have regrets)


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